Living the design and wellness dream in Italy

Meet my friend Lucie McCullough.

In this piece, I interview my dear friend Lucie McCullough. Lucie is the designer and building biologist who helped us transform our 60 acre Piedmontese farmhouse into a luxe, non toxic wellbeing haven.

Lucie founded a school in Italy called The Village Forrest School— A Waldorf inspired, bilingual forrest school where Weston Price food is served twice a day (I know, dreamy). The naturalness of the region and mission of the school inspired our move in the first place, and Lucie and I have been friends ever since. As you’ll know, we haven’t lived there full time but have gone back each year, except the last.

Last week I shared on Instagram that we’ve wrestled with listing our beloved home (I’ve got another piece coming about that, and my resistance to it, lol), and I received so many messages that I haven’t been able to respond to yet. I’ll be revisiting that conversation in a separate piece— an ode to our farmhouse a little later. I’ll also include where you can enquire about it. (Note to self, get a VA again).

In this piece though, I wanted to share a bit of Lucie’s story. She’s a gem of a woman, and one of the only others I know who doesn’t blink twice at the idea of moving internationally with a newborn. Included in this piece is also a look at her gorgeous ski home in Northern Italy where she holds gut healing retreats (and more), as well as information about a summer camp coming up at the school— for those keen on a family-friendly Italian nature experience this summer.

Originally Lucie and I were going to film an interview, and that will come later. But, I had a horrendously bad week of sleep last week and so to spare everyone from slurred words I figured we will film later, and write now. I hope you’ll find inspiration in Lucie’s journey. I sure do.

Enjoy!!! Peta XX

Peta: We bond over a lot of things-- our love of all sorts of health modalities, chic sheepskin rugs, gorgeous design, and straight-up-humour. We always said we could eat anything out of each others homes and know we'd love it. How would you describe your way of eating for your family?

Lucie: Don’t we just. I miss driving down that beautiful tree lined, driveway accompanied by the gorgeous flowing stream to arrive at your home and be presented with the most delicious hot chocolate, in a mason jar, loaded with adaptogenic herbs and delicious fats….

Our family follow a gluten free version of the Weston Price philosophy – it is ancestral eating at its best. No quinoa or lentils from a bag into a pot of boiling water, but prepared as our ancestors, the world over used to. A way to soothe the digestive tract and allow it to absorb what it needs in good time whilst not overwhelming the brain. Sugars are only the non refined ones that nature has to offer and dairy is mostly fermented as our smarter elders used to do. Veggies fermented too not just because often that’s how they made it through the winter, but also because they recognized the benefits on the microbiome. It’s a lifestyle, not a diet….my kids are fully on board as they learn along the way. Even my chickens have fermented foods and now my daughter, at 15, is learning to butcher them herself!

Me and Lucie’s daughter Mim. I was pregnant with Figgy here and it was a coooooold spring.

Peta: You have a unique skillset crossing interior design, having worked with some of the biggest names in fashion and design... but you're also a building biologist. Tell me a little about your journey to that gorgeous fusion.

Lucie: Born in the 70s in the USA, I was fed formula, laced with corn syrup—deemed dairy intolerant before I even had a chance to know what nourishment truly felt like. My early years were marked by a rare vascular syndrome in my left arm, all around me perturbed by the bright purple arm, with which I was born….. a daily reminder that life's challenges had no intention of sparing me. Yet, these struggles weren’t my downfall—they were the beginning of a fierce journey, a defining evolution that would shape my destiny.

The turbulent waves of antibiotics in my teens didn’t weaken me—they forged me. The prescription was simple, but the cost to my body was profound. I began to realize that the world wasn’t going to hand me anything on a silver platter, and I would have to fight for every inch of health, every ounce of happiness, every vision I dreamed of.

After studying Italian and French at university, I found myself swept into the fast-paced world of fashion PR. I endeavored to move through it with the elegance and poise expected, but the battles of my mind—crippling panic attacks—eventually led me to leave it all behind. A stint in Rome working for Valentino, followed by time in Milan with Ralph Lauren, were stepping stones to something greater—my own awakening.

I moved back to the UK to be closer to my family, seeking the support I needed to heal. It was there, in London, that I met my husband, and together, we embarked on a new chapter. Our move to Hong Kong marked another bold step in our lives. But even as we embraced the vibrancy of the city, the panic attacks continued to shadow me. We tried it all—Prozac, therapy, hypnotherapy, meditation, and hill-climbing—nothing seemed to quell the storm inside. Then, the universe, as it so often does, showed me a different path: one that would lead me to motherhood, to understanding my body in ways I never thought possible.

I suffered repeated miscarriages—nine in total—before discovering that I carried the MTHFR gene mutation, a silent burden that hindered my body’s ability to detox. But this knowledge did not break me. Instead, it sparked a passion for healing that would alter the course of my life.

Our first child, Otis, was born in Hong Kong, and his arrival was a moment of pure joy. But it was the adoption of our daughter that truly became the turning point in our journey. We brought her home at just four months old, and she was in a state of failure to thrive. Her fragile health was a wake-up call—I knew something had to change. Her challenges became my calling, and I was determined to find a way to heal her.

It was in Hong Kong that I met a woman who would change everything. A French aesthete with grace, poise, and an elegance that radiated from the inside out. She introduced me to the GAPS diet—yet it wasn’t just her words that sold me; it was the way she presented it. She served it on fine Japanese china plates, each dish more beautiful than the last, with a care and reverence that mirrored my own love for beauty and refinement. I was captivated—not just by the concept of healing my family, but by the art of nourishing with intention. Her elegance inspired me in ways I didn’t expect, and I knew this was the path I had been seeking.

Pregnant with my second biological child at the time, I embraced the healing powers of kimchi, coconut kefir, and oxtail bone broth for the first time—and I never looked back. This diet—rooted in the restoration of gut health—became the foundation of my family’s transformation. We studied, we researched, we learned, and when we were decided to move to Massachusetts to find schooling more aligned with our values, our journey towards true healing really began.

We embraced the GAPS diet fully. My daughter, with her neurological struggles, transitioned from her limited diet of white rice and white pasta to nourishing, healing foods. And for the first time, I felt an unwavering calm. My own anxiety, which had once controlled me, dissipated like a shadow retreating before the light. The diet was changing more than one of us.

But our healing didn’t stop there. A pivotal moment came when I ventured on my own to New Mexico. I traveled to the Institute of Building Biology to dive deeper into understanding how the built environment affects our health. This was a journey I took alone, driven by my own vision and desire for knowledge. The Institute opened my eyes to a whole new way of thinking about living spaces—spaces that promote wellness, not just aesthetic appeal. I became passionate about creating environments that supported health, not hindered it.

We found our dream home, renovated with the principles of Building Biology, and it was featured in Robb Report in an article titled “Can Your House Heal You?”—the first time in a high-net-worth magazine that the concept of healthy homes was discussed in such depth. It was a moment of realization that our vision wasn’t just personal; it was revolutionary.

We continued our pursuit of health, healing, and living authentically. Our home now a sanctuary where we followed the ancestral food wisdom of Dr. Weston A. Price, preparing foods the way nature intended—soaked grains, activated nuts, and whole animal consumption. We ventured into herbal elixirs and even perfected a gluten-free sourdough bread like no other.

However, as our children grew, so did their schools. The schools that we had chosen for our children, with their organic, nature-based philosophies, we soon discovered, were moving under cell towers. This was a concern we couldn’t ignore, especially given our commitment to living in an environment that was free from toxic electromagnetic fields.

That’s when the decision was made—we would leave our beloved home and move to Italy, new born (third time lucky) baby under my arms and mid Covid pandemic. The Village Forest School in Montaldo, Italy, was founded by me, my husband and a liked minded couple who shared our vision for an education rooted in wellness, nature, and holistic living. The move was transatlantic, but it was necessary. We sold our dream house, having just completed the renovation after five long years of learning, moved across the world, and established a school that was everything we envisioned for our children—free from cell towers, EMF, and environmental toxins.

Peta: You helped us turn our Italian farmhouse from a gorgeous but worn out Piedmontese farmhouse into a luxe, non toxic haven. Can you share with the readers what we focussed on from your point of view. Readers are in awe of the house and styling, so give them an insight into what mattered most for you in the process.

Lucie: Wasn’t I lucky? What a home that is. That house has an energy rare to find these days, but I guess that is Nature doing its work on our minds and heart. That house is bathed in it. Building biology is also known as Biophilia – the study of nature. That is my starting point. Not made from nature, not welcome, unless totally necessary. I believe ,as humans, trying to navigate this world right now, the very best for us would be to retreat to a Henry David Thoreau type shack at the end of a busy day, with no electricity and dine by candle light. However, that is not always feasible and we have evolved to surround ourselves with lushness, so make it lush but make it natural - from paint adorning your walls, to hand soap,. A big piece of building biology and where it differs from other green movements, is that we don’t smart up our house and have every inch covered by wifi to control our life, we turn off the eternal buzzing of wifi and phones – and we plug in. As we did with your home, you can wire it such that you can plug in your phones and your computers and wifi doesn’t need to come on even. I work with air, keep it clean – with water, purify it as much as you can , or even better, get it from a local spring, with light – help your melatonin in your body (one of our anti inflammatory Queen’s guards) and stick to natural light. I recently found a brand who’s bulbs have 3 settings and mimic the natural cycle of daylight and use red light by night only. They are LED but they are low flicker.

Peta here: I’d like to add here. The beds (Dormiente) and furniture we sourced were all non toxic, and European made. I shipped sheepskin rugs internationally too which cost a pretty penny but make a world of difference in the cold winters, and to my nervous system. Some were locally made too. We took down the layers of non-breathable paint and plaster and re-adorned the walls with pure limestone plaster and paint to allow them to breathe again. Even the showers were done with a limestone finish.

(Piccie here is our kitchen)

Peta: You own one of the most stunning ski homes I’ve ever stayed in, in Northern Italy. Jamie Oliver has stayed there and raved about it. Tell us about it—some of it’s features and also about the offerings you provide there. I know it’s a luxury stay, but if people can afford it, there’s nothing like it in summer or winter. Gut healing retreats, but also a fully inclusive stay with the finest natural ingredients/cheese/wine Italy has to offer. Tell us!

Lucie: Thank you! Yes, our Baita (name for an old stone farmhouse in Northern Italy) is situated in the second largest ski area in Europe – the Milky Way. It stretches across 400km of slopes, 5 resorts and even into France! It has a cable car out the back door and a piste that comes right down to the hamlet. It sleeps 12 adults and 6 kids….and has been frequented by many interesting personalities and has also been featured in many magazines, including Architectural Digest. Having been on our own gut health journey for so long now, we have a beautiful couple who know better than I do how to cook all things gut health and traditional as they have been with us now for over 10 years. Whenever we rent the Baita, summer or winter, we have the unique ability to be able to offer a gut healing diet all the way through. We also run retreats, I co-host one on gut health, that we run yearly in June where Jo Whitton of Quirky Cooking comes over to teach us how easy it is to feed your belly and soul with nutrient dense foods to overcome a myriad of illnesses. We also plan to run one soon for families with older children who are keen to learn and by immersing them in the hands on activities, they will absorb by osmosis how easy it is to heal your gut!

As is the case with everything in my life – the environment is all natural – we have all organic bedding and bathroom products made by a local friend down here. We are also now offering a natural and biodynamic wine list for those who would enjoy the odd glass of wine with no pesticides and additives!

Note: If you want to book a stay at Baita or attend a gut retreat, email Lucie at info@baita1697.com and tell her I sent you.

Lucie’s Baita1697

Peta: You’re crazy like me. We have no problems flying across the world with a newborn for a compelling reason. What was it that made you fly to Italy with your fourth child just out of the womb to start a school?

Lucie: Oh yes, ain’t that the truth! I had given birth to a baby mid covid, my daughter was most disturbed by the lack of support in her school when covid broke and it was our time to make our move back to Europe. The timing may have not been perfect, but what say do we have in that?!

Peta: A lot of my readers are familiar with the school you created- the Village Forrest School. It’s what drew us to the region—that and I fell in love with you, summer and that you were both as crazy (and funny) as me. I’ve been in awe of your drive and devotion to the school despite the fact that, building a school with four kids ain’t easy! Tell us about it, how special it is and about the summer camp coming up- incase my readers want a super nourishing summer experience in Italia!

Lucie: I am so insanely proud to say that our very own little Village Forest School now stands as the only bilingual, nature-based Steiner school that follows a Weston Price-inspired food program. It is free from harmful chemicals and electromagnetic interference. The school serves as a sanctuary not only for our children but for families from all over the world, who share our commitment to raising children in a holistic, healthy environment.

We welcome children from across the globe to our summer camp each year, offering educational weeks focused on gut health, life-sized sculpture building, and survival skills with the top specialists in Europe. The Village Forest School isn’t just a school—it’s a movement, a legacy. It's the culmination of everything I’ve learned, everything I’ve healed from, and everything I’ve worked to build for the next generation.

The summer camp coming up has four weeks, including Food & Farm, Survival Skills, Art in Nature, and Circus & Theatre

To read about the teachers/sessions or to book a spot at the camp, go here.

The Village Forrest School

Peta: Now, you said you wanted to discuss your coffee enema playlist. Do you have one? (hehe) Or do you want to share any other wellbeing modalities/ beliefs or practices that are staple for you as a busy mum of four?

Well, the most soothing music I know is by a Neopolitan singer, by the name of Pino Daniele. In Hong Kong we were encouraged, even if it was a surgical birth, to bring our music of choice, so I birthed to his music and I enema to his music! Even though the poop song would potentially be more appropriate, I’ll stick to the dulcet tones of Pino! And yours? I know your music taste is as eclectic/catholic as mine!

(Mine is Beethoven for those wondering).

To book a stay at Baita or attend a gut retreat, email Lucie at info@baita1697.com and tell her I sent you.

To read about the teachers/sessions or to book a spot at the camp, go here.

Stay tuned for a personal piece on our Italian journey, including my wrestle with whether to sell the home… coming soon.

Love PK XX